Recycled Goods (#87)

by Tom Hull

The scheme here is to post whatever applicable reviews -- reissues and
vault music, of course, and sometimes newer world music -- I have saved up
when the monthly calendar turns over. Some months I have more. Some I have
less. This one is actually pretty average, at least over the last couple
years. But I'm feeling rather hobbled here. I came down with some kind of
respiratory illness on June 22 and it's dogged me ever since. Have run a
persistent fever, pulse rate elevated, short of breath, dry cough. First
sign was chest pain but that turned out to be a false alarm. Since then,
for every day I seemed to be getting better, there's been another turning
for the worse. I should have posted this several days ago, especially
since there was nothing to write but this intro.

Chris Barber: Memories of My Trip (1958-2010 [2011],
Proper, 2CD): English trombonist, one of the major figures in Britain's
trad jazz movement in the 1950s, looking back from age 80 on a career
that did more than preserve past music: Barber was especially important
in building British interest in American bluesmen, which led to all
sorts of things, not least the Rolling Stones. I don't have good dates
on everything here, but some of the earliest tracks come from a 1958
tour with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee; later tracks feature bluesmen
from Muddy Waters to Jeff Healey, but also Lonnie Donegan, Van Morrison,
and Andy Fairweather Low. The guest star framework slights Barber's
own play and his wry vocals, making room for old jazz hands like Edmond
Hall, Albert Nicholas, and Trummy Young. But at least he leaves some
space for Ottilie Patterson, his long-time singer and wife. Could use
more of her, and more jazz instrumentals: Hall's "St. Louis Blues" is
definitely a high point.
B+(**) [R]

Johnny Hodges: Blues-A-Plenty (1958 [2011], Verve):
A download-only release, the latest gambit in reducing back catalogue
to pure profit. Hodges was Duke Ellington's prize alto saxophonist
from 1927 until his death in 1970, except for a few years in the 1950s
when he wandered off, feeling underappreciated, or more specifically
underpaid. But he never wandered far, and his personal albums are the
crown gems of small group Ellingtonia. Here, for instance, his rhythm
section includes Billy Strayhorn and Sam Woodyard, and they do "Satin
Doll" as gorgeously as it's ever been done. And when Hodges wants a
little more horn power, he taps his peers: Roy Eldridge (trumpet),
Vic Dickenson (trombone), and Ben Webster (tenor sax). Aside from a
Japanese release, the last time this appeared on CD was when Verve
slipped this and a Sweets Edison album into the 2-CD The Soul of
Ben Webster. Fabulous combination, but Hodges, as ever, was the
sweet spot. I'd grade this higher if it were real.
A- [R]

The Essential Lena Horne (1941-75 [2010],
Masterworks/Legacy, 2CD): Will Friedwald describes her as "the
Jackie Robinson of show business," noting her Hollywood debut in
1942 in Panama Hattie: "It's not too much of an exaggeration
to suggest that this film marked the mass-media debut of the concept
of the African American as a real person." Still, part of her appeal
must have been her looks -- gorgeous, but with straight hair and a
narrow nose that could pass for white. She was born in 1917, grew up
in Georgia and New York, joined the Cotton Club chorus line, toured
with Charlie Barnet, and headed to Hollywood where she reprised her
signature hit, "Stormy Weather." Still, her roles were limited, and
she got blacklisted for progressive politics. (During WWII when she
insisted on an integrated audience the Army rounded up some German
POWs to join US black soldiers.) But she could always fall back on
her singing. This starts with a few 1941 cuts, jumps to 1955-62,
finally a couple later tracks, starting and ending with takes of
"Stormy Weather." Lots of show tunes, many standards, with fairly
anonymous big bands that underscore her mastery of timing and her
clear and nuanced voice.
A-

The Essential Earth Kitt (1952-57 [2011], RCA/Legacy,
2CD): Multicultural before it counted, mother African and Cherokee,
father a white rapist, moved at 9 from the South Carolina cotton
patch to Harlem where she picked up French and worked that into her
singing, dancing, and acting. Doesn't seem to have been a big star:
a few 1953-54 singles charted, the highest "Santa Baby"; acting roles
included playing Helen of Troy for Orson Welles in 1950 and Cat Woman
in the 1967-68 television series Batman, with several Broadway
musicals in between. But she was a cultural icon, one I recall fondly
for chewing Lady Bird Johnson out over the Vietnam War. (She doesn't
seem to have been especially political, but Johnson invited her to a
luncheon and asked the question.) Kitt recorded from 1953-65, then
came back in 1989 with I'm Still Here and worked steadily to
her death in 2008, but this early slice seems to have been her prime.
Some standards, some show tunes, quite a few things where she slips
into French or Spanish or adopts a foreign vibe -- as in the calypso
"Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell" or "Uska Dara: A Turkish Tale" --
but ends with four W.C. Handy blues and the gospel "Steal Away,"
backed by Short Rodgers and the Jester Hairston Choir. She
wrote three autobiographies, the last subtitled Confessions of
a Sex Kitten. She had a long career replete with surprises.
This is a tightly wound slice, idiosyncratic enough you have to
wonder what people thought at the time.
B+(***)

NYC Salsa: The Incendiary Sound of Latin New York
(1970-79 [2007], Fania, 2CD): One of the things that attracted me
to New York in the mid-1970s was salsa music: on the radio, but
especially on the streets pumping out of boom boxes. I wanted to
make a project out of exploring it, but somehow the records I
bought never quite jelled in my mind, and thrashing I pretty much
gave up. The 1970s were the heyday of Fania records, their house
band, the Fania All Stars, and their vast roster including many
famous from elsewhere -- Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto,
Mongo Santamaria, Willie Colón were among the names I had heard
much of. Still should be a project, but I doubt I'll ever be able
to sort out so many artists who all sound the same to me: the
hyper upbeat grooves with offbeat percussion, the massed brass
flashes, the way-too-many singers. Liner notes don't provide
dates or discography, but the ones I could look up landed in
the 1970s, what they call the Golden Era. Seems more like the
Brass Age, but on some level it still moves me.
B+(**)

The NYFA Collection: 25 Years of New York New Music
(1988-2010 [2010], Innova, 5CD): I've been avoiding this, if for no
more reason than sheer length. NYFA is the New York Foundation for
the Arts, set up in 1983. Since then they've provided fellowships
for over 200 new music composers, and they're showing off 52 of them
in this set. They run the gamut, but have been programmed to flow
somewhat: the third disc is the most jazz-centric, with Iconoclast,
Rudresh Mahanthappa, Fred Ho, John Lindberg (sometimes d/b/a BLOB),
Newman Taylor Baker. The fourth and fifth shade more classical. The
first is more avant, mostly primitivist rhythm pieces. Packaged in
a double-width jewel case with a loose booklet for each disc packed
with lots of information in small type, and priced like a sampler.
B+(**)

The Reatards: Teenage Hate/Fuck Elvis Here's the Reatards
(1998 [2011], Goner): Memphis punk band, where James Lee Lindsey adopted
his future solo name, Jay Reatard, on his way to a 29-year-old death. This
reissues his/their -- band included guitarist Steve Albundy Reatard and
drummer Elvis Wong Reatard -- first official album, Teenage Hate,
from 1998, and a demo cassette that possibly dates back to 1996, totalling
39 songs, 73:53 on one disc. The album is sharper sonically, getting just
enough rockabilly twang into their punk reduction to suggest that they
knew what they were fucking with. Wears a bit thin toward the end, but
could have been prophetic.
B+(***) [R]

The Essential Django Reinhardt (1949-50 [2011],
RCA/Legacy, 2CD): The gypsy jazz guitarist's recording career runs
from 1934 to his death in 1953, so plucking two sets from late on
and declaring them to be the essential slice is preposterous from
the start, but record companies make what they can from what they
got -- last time in print RCA touted the same two discs as The
Indispensable Django Reinhardt, although parts have also seen
print as Djangology. Both sets were cut in Rome, so fans
may even prefer to search out JSP's 4-CD superset, Django in
Rome, but this is serviceable and representative. The sets
were cut with local rhythm sections, not as sharp as the old Hot
Club, but Stéphane Grappelli's violin keeps the 1949 tracks close
to the model. But for the 1950s cuts, the violin is replaced with
André Ekyan on alto sax and clarinet for a smoother flow, or
thrill with the right song.
B+(**)

Wire: 14 Sept 2002, Metro, Chicago [Legal Bootleg Series]
(2000 [2010], Pinkflag): The first band that came out of late-1970s
Britain that could be called post-punk -- art school progressives, they
took the idea of punk and wrapped it up into tight little packages with
a lot of menace and drone. They ran from 1977 up to 1990 or so, lost a
quartet member so cut an album as Wir, then reemerged around 2000 with
the recognition that their best work was behind them so the way to carry
on was to return to their original concepts. Live, they come off denser
and darker than ever. Rhapsody has four of these "legal bootlegs"; looks
like at least eight are available, and more where those came from.
A- [R]

Briefly Noted

Till Brönner: Chattin' With Chet (2000 [2011], Verve):
German trumpeter-vocalist, no idea how he adds up given this is the
only one I've heard; mostly a credible Chet Baker tribute with "When
I Fall in Love" touching and the instrumental "My Funny Valentine"
sly, the main shift a preference for synth beats; however, he throw
in a rap on the side, and more smooth funk than is really healthy.
B [R]

Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Odditties (1973-90 [2010],
Querbeservice): Kevin Ayers once released a trivia compilation called
Odd Ditties, which seems to be the point of the title, except
that the ditties aren't so odd: scattered demos and live shots, some
in French with fiddle, several Stephen Foster songs recorded late;
Kate's dead, and Anna can't do this alone, so be thankful.
A- [R]

Leo Smith: Human Rights (1982-85 [2009], Kabell):
From the avant trumpeter's pre-Wadada rastafari days, scattered
pieces with Smith's vocals and horn over guitar, synth and/or mbira,
backed with a world music oddity mixing koto with Peter Kowald
and Günter Sommer; parts of this could break pop, but no point
getting too comfortable.
B+(*) [R]

Wire: 25 Oct 1978 Bradford University [Legal Bootleg Series]
(1978 [2010], Pinkflag): One from their heyday, evolving from their second,
Chairs Missing, to the softer third, 154, not that anything
here qualifies as soft; surprising after all these years how many of their
not-quite-tunes stick to the ribs, recognizable even scruffed up unlike
their fastidious studio records.
A- [R]

Wire: 21 July 1988 Astoria, London [Legal Bootleg Series]
(1988 [2010], Pinkflag): Late 1980s, as they decompressed with lighter,
milder, more melodic fare -- The Ideal Copy and A Bell Is a
Cup . . . Until It Is Struck were the forgettable
studio albums -- but live they go for long, heavy, and dense, just like
they always do.
B+(*) [R]

Wire: 08 Dec 2000 Queen's Hall, Edinburgh [Legal Bootleg
Series] (2000 [2010], Pinkflag): Unless you're especially fond
of their dense clatter, this takes a while to jell, and it's the old
songs that do the trick -- "Lowdown," "Another the Letter," "12xU" --
well into a set that never lets up.
B+(***) [R]

Neil Young: International Harvesters: A Treasure
(1984-85 [2011], Reprise): The ninth of what promises to be a very
long series of new albums curried from old live tapes, this one
catching Young's return to country roots after a few years kicking
about eclectically, trying out everything from vocal synthesizers
to soul horns; the next album was Old Ways, but this rocks
much harder, framing period songs in cascades of electric twang.
B+(***) [R] [Later: A-]

Legend:B+ records are divided into three levels,
where more * is better. [R] indicates record was reviewed
using a stream from Rhapsody.
The biggest caveat there is that the packaging and documentation
hasn't been inspected or considered, and documentation is especially
important for reissues. But also my exposure to streamed records is
briefer and more limited, so I'm more prone to snap judgments.